David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Roster Purge May Indicate No New Twins Owner Soon

Posted on August 1, 2025August 1, 2025 by David Shama

The Twins shocking moves this week to trade 10 players, or 38 percent of their 26-man roster, may indicate the unlikelihood of announcing a new buyer any time soon. The player transactions, in which the Twins have received mostly minor league prospects in return for their trading big league players, has enraged Minnesota fans while lightening the payroll for ownership.

The franchise reportedly is at least $425 million in debt, believed to be among the higher totals in MLB. The Pohlad family presumably now feels at least some comfort today after lessening their financial burden.

It’s unclear whether the Pohlads are financially viable to sustain Twins financial losses for a long time if they choose. The club has been for sale since last year.

A former sports executive, writing on condition of anonymity, offered this take via email: “I am told earlier in the week, a sale is NOT close, contrary to some recent reports. The Twins need a huge cash influx to contend. Some potential owners have backed off because of the debt in place. (Also,) heard through my MLB sources that there is infighting internally amongst the Pohlad family.”

If a Twins buyer were ready to sign the final papers soon, why would the person or group be so foolish as to associate themselves with the Pohlad PR disaster? The selloff of players, including stars Jhoan Duran and Carlos Correa, has eliminated any chance the club had of making the playoffs as a Wild Card entrant. More important, the gutting of the roster— particularly what was one of baseball’s best bullpens–appears to have set the Twins back for at least a couple of years on the field and with the fanbase.

If the new owners are tainted with the label of misers, they will be DOA in Minneapolis.

Thud.

New ownership should want to message to players and fans that their regime and operation will be in sharp contrast to the Pohlads who have long been disliked by the public. By words and through actions new owners should have a honeymoon period that can be nurtured into a favorable long-term relationship with their employees and the public.

Ownership showing up even several weeks from now taking bows, following the disaster of moves this week led by Twins president Derek Falvey, will make them look like carpetbaggers.

Following the legacy of the Pohlad family should not be challenging. It will be two years this fall that the team, having built a competitive club that won the franchise’s first playoff game in 19 years, announced payroll would drop by a reported $30 million.

Carl Pohlad bought the team in 1984 from the Griffith family. With a nucleus of players mostly from the Griffiths, Minnesota won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. In the 10 years that followed the last World Series title, Pohlad–long known for his fiscal restraint– tried contracting the franchise after alleged attempts to sell it to out-of-town buyers failed.

The Pohlads pressed for and got their new ballpark, Target Field which opened in 2010. The expectations of fans and politicos was the club would spend more money on payroll because of their new playland revenues. The Twins have spent big money on some deals like for the now retired Joe Mauer and now traded Correa but the feeling in the town square is ownership hasn’t delivered.

As of today, the franchise is in a deplorable state with its patrons. A long-time ticket buy wrote this to Sports Headliners; “…They cut payroll but they’re also going to lose close to 50 percent of their season ticket holder base which is already at an all-time low for Target Field. If they are businesspeople, at all, they would know that that does not make sense business wise.”

Another Sports Headliners reader, who has decades of marketing experience, said this via email: “Good luck moving tickets the rest of the season. There might be more fans at a local Little League game than any game at Target Field in September.”

The way it looks now, the Twins are going to lose a lot of ticket goers this year and beyond. The season base might drop to something like 4,000 and a franchise capable of drawing 2.5 million fans a year or more could be headed for half of that or less.

And Twins fans are left wondering if their 10 players were attractive enough to find takers, why didn’t the club headed by Falvey and manager Rocco Baldelli have more success on the field. One fan asked via email: “Why aren’t they in first place?”

Another fan wrote: “It seems to me that Baldelli and his staff isn’t up to major league abilities.”

Lots of developments are coming down the road with the Twins. But as of today, not so many fans are that interested.

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Brian Flores Likes What He Sees in Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

Posted on July 29, 2025July 29, 2025 by David Shama

Enjoy a Tuesday notes column.

All eyes seemingly are on first-year Vikings starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy at training camp. Among those most qualified to give an opinion about the 22-year-old is defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Flores said yesterday part of the strategy in preparing the inexperienced quarterback is “giving him a lot of different looks” from the defense. “I think J.J. has done a great job. I really do. I think he’s got real good command of the offense. I think he’s throwing the ball really well. I think he’s doing a lot of nice things and I’ve liked watching him improve. That’s good for everybody.”

Seems like when, not if, Flores will leave from his successful run here and accept an NFL head coaching position elsewhere. As in past seasons, it appears likely Flores will hear his name speculated on for openings in the fall and early winter.

Flores had a head coaching job previously, leading the Dolphins from 2019-2021. That tenure didn’t end well with a 24-25 record and negative feelings about his dismissal.

Flores has flourished in two previous seasons as leader of the Vikings defense. In his first two seasons leading the defense (2023-24), Minnesota had 53 total takeaways, the third most in the NFL trailing only Buffalo (59) and Pittsburgh (57). The Vikings have also held foes to an average of 96.1 rushing yards per game under Flores. That’s the third-fewest rushing yards per game over the past two seasons, behind only Detroit (93.6) and Baltimore (94.7).

Flores, who was a finalist for the Associated Press Assistant Coach of the Year for 2024, has not only polished his resume here, but also assimilated the offensive wisdom and coaching prowess of head coach Kevin O’Connell. In three seasons O’Connell has dazzled as a quarterback developer and offensive strategist.

Flores praises the way the offense goes about its business, from leadership to how the unit practices. He is comfortable going into the boss’s office and “picking his brain” on things like pass protection or route concepts. He describes O’Connell’s relationships with others as a “super power.”

“My time with him has been incredible these last two years and this year as well,” Flores said. “I think I am pretty good in some areas. Areas I am not as good in, he’s really good in. So just kind of naturally I get better in those areas. …”

Flores describes a “bit of a chess match” between the Vikings offense and defense as both units work on details to improve themselves and each other. Flores knows O’Connell is loaded with football smarts. “X’s and O’s wise, he’s as good as they get,” Flores said.

No word on who will be replacing recently retired Joe Schmit as sports director at KSTP TV. If the successor comes internally, seems likely the choice could be Chris Long who was the No. 2 behind Schmit.

George Schauer, the point man on the Golden Gophers famous Harlem Globetrotters-like warmup show in the early 1970s, died earlier this month in Dallas. Coach Bill Musselman put Schauer on scholarship strictly because of his ballhandling skills and trickery as he led his teammates through a pre-game show set to music that packed Williams Arena and had fans roaring with delight.

Former Gophers assistant coach Kevin Wilson told Sports Headliners Schauer scored two points in his four-year career and that Schauer and the Williams Arena faithful went bonkers when he made his field goal.

Schauer entertained with his basketball wizardry after college with his most recent gig as an ambassador for the Frisco, Texas based Texas Legends of the G League. That’s the official minor league of the NBA.

New coach Niko Medved’s 2025 Gophers have their last day of summer practice Thursday. Medved meets with the media that day to provide an evaluation.

Cody Nagel from Cbssports.com ranked the 18 Big Ten football coaches last week and Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck is at No. 8. Coaches above Fleck starting at No. 1 are Ryan Day, Ohio State; Dan Lanning, Oregon; James Franklin, Penn State; Lincoln Riley, USC; Kirk Ferentz, Iowa; Curt Cignetti, Indiana; Bret Bielema, Illinois.

Pioneer League football coaches voted St. Thomas to finish third in the standings this fall behind San Diego and Drake. In four previous seasons in the league, head coach Glenn Caruso’s Tommies have finished top three each year including a championship in 2022.

Twins infielder Luke Keaschall (right forearm) remains on rehab assignment with the Saints after having only 19 at bats with Minnesota this season. Pitcher Bailey Ober (left hip impingement) is also rehabbing with the Saints and has a 1.00 ERA in nine innings and two starts.

Don’t look now but while Twins pitching ace Pablo Lopez is sidelined the man traded to obtain Lopez, infielder Luis Arraez, is hitting .322 in his last 30 games and lifted his season average to .292.

Twins legends and hall of famers Jim Kaat and Rod Carew speak to the Twin Cities Dunkers on August 15.

Congratulations to Jeff Maday on being inducted into the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame. The track’s media relations manager has been with the racing facility for more than 30 years and started as a groom.

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Perich on Potential Path to Be Most Decorated Gopher Ever

Posted on July 27, 2025July 27, 2025 by David Shama

Koi Perich could become the most decorated player in the history of University of Minnesota football, a program that dates back to 1882. The Golden Gophers safety and return specialist earned numerous honors as a freshman in 2024 and he is identified by many sources this summer as a national player to watch during the coming season.

His 2024 recognition included:

Sporting News Second Team All-American
FWAA Freshman All-American
All-Big Ten First Team, Defensive Back
All-Big Ten Second Team, Return Specialist
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
Big Ten Freshman of the Week
Shaun Alexander (National) Freshman of the Year Award Finalist

This summer college football magazines are touting Perich as a 2025 preseason All-American safety. One of the magazines, Phil Steele Publications, also named Perich as a third team All-Big Ten punt returner.

Perich is included on the recently announced Big Ten football Honors List of the top 16 players for the coming season. He is also on the watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy Award, presented annually to a defensive player for his character and athletic abilities. He is also expected to be on the watch list for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s premier defensive back.

Perich presumably will play this season and next for the Gophers before entering the NFL Draft. He could become the all-time aggregator of football awards in Dinkytown, partially because of his excellence and also because through the decades more and more honors have been created for college football players to win.

Koi Perich photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

No football freshman at the U ever had the decorated season that Perich earned. Looks like he will rule the sophomore category, too. Center Greg Eslinger, who would go on to win the prestigious Outland Trophy and Remington Award later on in his career, was named All-Big Ten as a sophomore in 2003, but based on pre-season hype Perich could do more than that.

The legendary Paul Giel had some serious hardware in his possession, but the great halfback earned his major honors as a junior and senior in the 1950s. The two-time All-American was also twice named the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player. Despite playing on a mediocre team, Giel was runner-up for the 1953 Heisman Trophy in possibly the closest vote ever for the award.

The intrigue about Perich, who could become Minnesota’s first three-time All-American, certainly goes beyond what he showed last season. Yes, his athleticism and heady play helped him lead the Big Ten in interceptions with five. And, yes, he had a mesmerizing 82-yard punt return against defending national champion Michigan in the “Big House.” But this year coach P.J. Fleck is making it known his versatile star will be asked to be a playmaker on offense, too.

Expectation is that while Perich won’t be an every down player on offense, he could have numerous touches in each game as a receiver and runner. “Koi is very explosive,” said first-year quarterback Drake Lindsey.

Lindsey and Perich have been working together in the offseason. Lindsey, an Arkansas native, has become close friends with Perich. The two were down in Arkansas during the offseason where Lindsey threw to Perich.

It’s been apparent to Lindsey that Perich’s football gifts include his sure hands. He has also seen Perich’s successful assimilation of the formations and nuances of the Gopher offense. “He’s really smart,” Lindsey said.

If Perich, who is about 6-1 and 215 pounds, takes to offense like he has defense and returning punts and kicks, he could follow a similar path to Travis Hunter who won the Heisman Trophy after last season. In the almost unheard-of age of players contributing on both offense and defense, Hunter was elite playing cornerback and wide receiver for Colorado.

It’s premature and irresponsible to make comparisons between Perich and Hunter. But Perich, the small-town kid from near Duluth, has already put his name on the national stage.

And it looks like he will bring fame to not only the Gophers but to Esko, Minnesota, population of about 2,000. Esko came up in a recent interview with Big Ten Network host Dave Revsine who asked what he should see in the small town if he had a week there.

“Oh, not much,” Perich quipped.

Revsine then said what if he had just a “few hours” to check out the town.

“Hey, that’s all you need,” Perich replied. “Got one stop light. Go check out the school. We got Tequilla Town (restaurant). I think that’s what it’s called now. …”

Indeed, that’s what the restaurant name is. Perich recalled that the Mexican cuisine restaurant replaced the pizza place in town. He usually gets things right on and off the field.

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